No matter what you think of Tesla, you have to admit that the Model S is a ballsy, ground breaking machine. It is pretty much the first electric car that could be considered an almost viable alternative to a traditional gas powered car in terms of refinement and range.

Yesterday's launch of the Tesla Model S electric sedan was a highly choreographed affair, with …
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And with a claimed 0-60 of 4.4 seconds, it's one of the fastest sedans on the market today. But just how fast is it?

To find out, Automobile lined up Model S against the 560 horsepower BMW M5 at Gingerman Raceway. BMW says that the M5 can get to 60 in 4.2 seconds, so under perfect conditions, it would be a pretty close fight.